


The Fantasy, the Real Deal, and the Nightmare

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: The Grove [9]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-10-07
Packaged: 2018-02-20 05:32:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2416694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He would never forget how close he came to losing her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fantasy, the Real Deal, and the Nightmare

“Do you ever feel guilty?”

 

“About what?” Emily arched her back while stroking her fingers through his thick black hair.

 

“Feeling so good?” he unzipped her stonewashed jeans, spreading them open and kissing her smooth satin panties. Emily Prentiss sometimes wore day of the week panties and today was Friday. 

 

They went on a double date with Reid and his girlfriend Austin to see _Say Anything_. It would be Austin’s third time seeing the film and Emily’s fourth. Their dates endured an hour and forty minutes of incessant sighing over Lloyd Dobler. Hotch tried to get frisky and actually got his hands slapped. Apparently it was against the rules to touch his girlfriend when John Cusack was on the screen. John Cusack sucked.

 

After the movie they hit the arcade for about an hour and then the Georgetown Diner for ice cream sundaes. Reid couldn’t stop talking about his early acceptance into Cal Tech, which he looked at as an early Christmas gift. He was still waiting for letters from Yale, his safety school, Harvard, Penn, Berkeley, and at least 10 others colleges and universities. Diana Reid knew her son could only attend one but she planned to make a scrapbook of all the acceptance letters her Spencer racked up.

 

Hotch watched the two young teens, Spencer just fourteen and Austin fifteen, the whole time they were together and it made him smile. Reid would go off on one of his tangents; that was pretty much the usual. Austin would eventually poke him, make a funny face, and they would both laugh. It was cute and Hotch was glad Reid didn’t look so lonely anymore. He promised Jason he would take care of him; he was doing the best that he could.

 

There were still problems at home with his mom. Hotch now knew that Mrs. Reid was a schizophrenic. The sociopaths, mostly Tobias Hankel, picking up where his brother left off, still shoved Reid around when he thought he could get away with it. Still Reid had become more comfortable with who he was. He was different, better to embrace it than wish to be something else anymore. Hotch wanted to think he might have something to do with Reid’s new outlook on life but Austin had him beat by a mile.

 

After Hotch dropped them off, he and Emily drove back to her house. Her parents were away for business in Bangkok so he was staying with her over the long weekend. His new stepfather expressed concern about teenagers spending nights together; questioned Gregory Prentiss’ judgment. Amelia waved it off…Emily was a good girl. Hotch let Timothy know, as respectfully as he could, that his opinion was neither asked for nor wanted.

 

“I could never feel guilty with you.” Emily said, lifting her hips so Hotch could take down her jeans and panties at the same time. Now she was dressed in nothing but black argyle socks. She blushed under the intense stare of the boy she loved. Sometimes when Hotch looked at her Emily swore he would consume her…devour her wholly.

 

It was the scariest and most exhilarating feeling in the world. Sometimes Emily feared that she and Hotch would not have a happily ever after. It was rare that someone married their high school sweetheart. Still, she knew no one would ever touch her like Hotch did. No one would ever make her whimper or quiver like he did. The weight of no one else would be as comforting or loving. Of that she was absolutely sure.

 

“You are the most beautiful girl in the world.” Hotch whispered, sprinkling kisses across her flat stomach.

 

“Surely not.”

 

“Oh yes.” Hotch’s tongue dipped into her belly button. “Other girls just stand in your shadow…I've seen them do it.”

 

“Wait a minute now. How many other girls have you been staring at, Aaron Hotchner?”

 

“I just spent a miniscule amount of time comparing and contrasting, that’s all. It was a scientific experiment and they all failed.”

 

Emily laughed, pulling him back into her arms. As she kissed him, he moved her thighs apart and settled his body on hers. She stroked his naked back.

 

“Why are you still dressed? I'm naked but you're dressed; that’s not fair.”

 

“You are not naked. You're wearing socks.”

 

She pushed Hotch over on the bed and straddled him, still laughing. Hotch grinned, caressing her hips.

 

“Being married is going to be such fun.” He said.

 

“I think marriage is about more than nakedness, Hotch.”

 

“It is. But if a couple has excellent communication, which we do, mutual respect, which we definitely do, and the right amount of nakedness, it will never go wrong.”

 

“The marriage trifecta?” Emily asked.

 

“Mmm hmm,” Hotch pulled her body down on his, kissing her and relishing the feeling of her breasts on his chest. “I love you, Emily Prentiss.”

 

She caressed his face, letting him roll them again on the mattress and deepening their kisses.

 

“I love you too.”  
  
 

“For always?”

 

“It’s a promise.” She wiggled her ring finger.

 

“I am damn lucky. Remind me if I ever lose my mind and forget.”

 

Emily would be sure to do that. Not right now though…she didn’t want to talk anymore.

 

***

 

He heard the screaming. Someone far away was screaming for him and Hotch tried to reach the voice. The closer he got, he realized it was Emily. His heart rate increased; Hotch ran faster than he ever had in his life. He didn’t know where she was but he needed to get to her.

 

“Emily? Em…”

 

Hotch came out of his sleep, quickly moving away from flying arms and a thrashing body. Drowsy and out of sorts, he took hold of her shoulders.

 

“Emily, baby, wake up.  Emily! You're having a nightmare.”

 

“Don’t touch me!” she screamed. “Stop, please. Hotch!”

 

“I'm here.” Frightened, he shook her again. He remembered Jason told him once not to shake someone awake from a nightmare. Medical evidence showed the shock could kill them. Hotch pushed that out of his mind. Whatever she was dreaming about terrified her. “You have to wake up, please, wake up.”

 

The thrashing finally stopped; Emily’s eyes slowly opening and taking in things. She didn’t seem to recognize him at first and froze in fear.

 

“It’s me, Em, Hotch.” He said, still holding on.

 

“Hotch?”

 

“You were screaming for me.” He caressed her face but Emily moved away from the affection. Hotch didn’t like that. He took a deep breath.

 

“Huh? Maybe I was just having a nightmare.” She shrugged. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

 

“Oh I think it was more…”

 

“I have to go to the bathroom.” Emily cut him off and practically jumped out of bed. “Go back to sleep Hotch, I'm fine.”

 

He knew she was anything but. Even in the dark he could see her trembling while quickly throwing on her panties and his tee shirt. Emily went into the bathroom, closing the door. Hotch turned on the lamp and waited. She would have to come out eventually, he hoped. He needed to know what was going on. He got out of bed and put his boxers back on. Pacing the large room, thoughts filtered through Hotch’s mind. Emily’s parents left the country yesterday before school and he stayed with her last night. They both slept like babies. There was no messing around; Emily had a history test and was in full study mode.

 

The New Year was about three weeks old...Emily had been fine. She was anxious for college acceptance letters to start rolling in. History, American Lit, and Latin were getting harder but she seemed to be handling the pressure well. Hotch wondered if she talked to any of her friends about what might be bothering her. Would JJ or Elle even discuss it with him? Surely she would swear them to secrecy. No, Hotch was attentive; being there for Emily was a top priority. Nothing had been off, at least not on the surface. Something was clearly off.

 

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he ran his hands over his face and through his hair. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand; it was 2:47am. Emily finally came out of the bathroom. She sat beside Hotch on the bed and for a while nothing happened. He finally took her hands and kissed them.

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

“Anything Em.”

 

Emily took a deep breath. She looked for a while at their joined hands and then looked into his eyes.

 

“We don’t talk about it much…what happened to me.”

 

“What do you mean?” Hotch asked.

 

“When I was attacked last year.”

 

“Oh.”

 

He got quiet but held onto her. Those moments still haunted Hotch. Those tense, terrifying moments when he didn’t know if she was alright or not alright struck him at the strangest times. He would be coming out of the shower or standing in the lunch line on meatloaf Monday and would break into a cold sweat. He would never forget how close he came to losing her.

 

“I don’t remember very much. The police filled in a lot of gaps because I was drugged.”

 

“Frank injected you with a dose of GHB.” It hurt Hotch to even say his name.

 

“That’s what Detective LaMontagne told my parents and I. They said he didn’t…Hotch did he rape me?”

 

“No,” Hotch shook his head. “No Emily.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“You got away from him, though he did hurt you. You were a virgin that first night we were together. You remember Emily; it’s only ever been you and me.”

 

“I've been having these nightmares. He’s in them and he…”

 

Hotch didn’t want to hear anymore, his stomach was already turning. He got his bearings and held her hands tighter.

 

“I don’t get away Hotch, and it hurts. He won't stop and I call for you but you don’t come. I wake up screaming.”

 

“How long have you been dealing with this?” he asked.

 

“I had the first one during Thanksgiving break. It terrified me because I thought it was real. Something happened that day and maybe these are memories.”

 

“I don’t know what happened. He did not rape you; that I know. Have you told anybody about this?”

 

“No,” Emily shook her head. “Nat came in one night when I was screaming. I told her that I didn't remember what the nightmare was about.”

 

“You should talk to her, baby. Maybe even a doctor but your stepmom would know what to do.”

 

“Why can't I just talk to you?”

 

“Honestly?” Hotch asked, caressing her face. “It’s so hard for me. I want to help you and always make sure that you're safe but…I don’t know if I can relive that. For just a few moments I thought he had done the unspeakable to you. I felt helpless, angry, and weak. Maybe I should talk to someone too, but you were his victim, not me. Not directly anyway. I will be strong for you.”

 

“We’ll be strong for each other, Hotch.” She wrapped her arms around him, exhaling when he stroked her hair.

 

“Please talk to Natalie.” He whispered.

 

“How do I even begin?”

 

“She knows about the nightmares. I bet she probably knows more than you think she does…moms are like that. You had a traumatic experience and there is nothing wrong with talking to a professional about it. I don’t think ignoring it will help it get better.”

 

“Are you sure he didn’t do anything to me? You would tell me right? You would not keep me in the dark; you promised.”

 

“I will never lie to you. He tried and he failed. These are just bad dreams.”

 

“I do not want to go back to sleep.”

 

“We’ll stay up all night if you want. C'mon.” Hotch moved back against the pillows, holding out his arms for her. Emily smiled and snuggled in his embrace.

 

“I promise to talk to Nat as soon as she gets back.”

 

“OK,” he sighed. “I'm sorry Emily.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Not being there to keep this from happening. And also because I thought if I didn’t think about it, it would be like it didn’t happen. I justified it by telling myself I was doing it for you…I was really doing it for me.”

 

“I did the same thing. I certainly don’t want to think about it. So much of it is still fuzzy but the dreams are real and they scare me.”

 

Hotch kissed her forehead. He felt her relax as he rubbed her back and her calm made him relax some. Damn Frank, damn him straight to hell. As hard as it was to swallow, Hotch knew Emily did not need his indignation right now. She needed his love and support. He would give Jason his anger and helplessness. Hotch couldn’t save Emily from that monster and now he couldn’t save her from the dreams.

 

“You and me, Hotch.” She murmured against his chest, holding on tighter and hoping to take him into her dreams with her. Emily was so tired and she could not stay awake.

 

“For always, that’s a promise.”

 

***

                                                                                                                                  


End file.
